Falls Creek Preps for Evacuees

The following is a news release from the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma:

In response to an urgent request of the Oklahoma Governor?s office, Falls Creek Baptist Conference Center, near Davis, Oklahoma will soon be the temporary home for thousands of displaced victims of Hurricane Katrina.

?We received a call from the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management checking on the possibility of utilizing the Falls Creek Baptist Conference Center as a temporary home for hurricane victims,? said Ray E. Sanders, spokesman for the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma. ?We have responded immediately to the request by coordinating the arrival of as many as 3,000 evacuees by early next week. Falls Creek is host to more than 6,000 youth per week during summer encampments. The American Red Cross will oversee operations of relief efforts. We should have adequate facilities to meet their needs.?

Governor Brad Henry has committed to providing security personnel to supervise safety measures for the relief operations at Falls Creek. There are over 500 trained Oklahoma Baptist disaster relief volunteers in Oklahoma. Oklahoma Baptist Disaster Relief Teams and the American Red Cross will be responsible for providing meals for the victims. Southern Baptist churches owning cabins at Falls Creek will provide housing for those in need.

In addition to preparing meals at Falls Creek, a 20 member feeding crew with the Oklahoma Baptist Disaster Relief Team is already preparing thousands of meals each day for hurricane victims and relief volunteers in Baton Rogue. The team is equipped with an industrial size kitchen on a converted semi-trailer. The Oklahoma Baptist Disaster Relief Team joined with other Southern Baptist Disaster Relief Teams in the disaster area. Together they are preparing over 300,000 meals daily. In addition to the feeding unit, a 17 member Oklahoma Baptist Disaster Relief Team chainsaw crew is working in the hurricane stricken area to clear fallen trees and debris.

Individuals, churches or organizations interested in contributing financially to disaster relief efforts of the Oklahoma Baptist Disaster Relief Team may go online at www.bgco.org to make contributions or mail checks payable to Oklahoma Baptist Disaster Relief to Oklahoma Baptist Disaster Relief at 3800 N. May Avenue, Oklahoma City, OK 73112. One hundred percent of funds received for disaster relief are used for disaster relief. Oklahoma Southern Baptist Churches and their members cover administrative expenses with their contributions made through the Cooperative Program.

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